A communication system is used by a sending party to communicate data to a receiving party. The data is sent by a sending station upon a communication channel for delivery to a receiving station. Through appropriate selection of the communication channel, communication of the data is effectuable between sending and receiving stations, even when the stations are spaced apart from one another by significant distances.
Advancements in communication technologies have permitted the development, and implementation, of many different types of communication systems to effectuate the communication of data between sending and receiving stations positioned at separate, spaced-apart locations. Increasingly-large amounts of data, at increasingly-higher rates are provided with successive advancements in the communication technologies.
A radio communication system is exemplary of a communication system in which advancements in communication technologies have been applied to increase the data communication capacity of the radio communication system. In a radio communication system, communication channels formed between the sending and receiving stations are defined upon radio links which extend between the sending and receiving stations.
Wire line connections are not required to interconnect the sending and receiving stations. In a conventional, wire line communication system, in contrast, a wire line connection is required upon which to define communication channels which are used to communicate the data between the sending and receiving stations. Because a wire line is not needed, a radio communication system inherently provides for increased communication mobility, relative to the use of a conventional wire line communication system. Radio communication systems are, therefore, regularly used in mobile applications and to effectuate communications between locations at which the use of wire line connections would be inconvenient or impractical.
A cellular communication system is a type of radio communication system. Cellular communication systems have been installed throughout large geographical areas of the world. A cellular communication system is operated by an operator, sometimes referred to as a service provider. And, subscribers subscribe to communicate by way of the system by purchasing a service subscription A cellular communication system is constructed pursuant to an operating specification, and various operating specifications have been promulgated. As advancements in communication technologies permit, the operating standards are amended to incorporate new and improved features to the standards, and new standards are promulgated to set the operational standards of new types of cellular communication systems.
Various of such upgrades, and other revisions, require changes to be made in the operational parameters pursuant to which a mobile station operable in a cellular communication system operates. To take advantage of the revision, the operational parameter must be provided to the mobile station. And, in some instances, revision of the operational parameter at the mobile station is necessary to permit continued operation of the mobile station in the cellular communication system.
An operational parameter of the mobile station which might need to be changed, includes, for instance, a parameter associated with a preferred roaming list, a parameter associated with a new number assignment module (NAM) associated with the mobile station, a new value of a parameter associated with an enhanced variable rate coder, a parameter associated with a changed IP (Internet Protocol) address associated with the mobile station, and an access point set-up parameter list. Other parameters might also be susceptible to change or revision. And, newly-created parameters might also need to be provided to the mobile station.
A conventional manner by which to effectuate the change of an operational parameter at the mobile station is to require that the mobile station be returned to a service center at which reprogramming of the mobile station is carried out to effectuate the revision of the operating parameter, as appropriate. Return of the mobile station is typically an inconvenience to the user of the mobile station. Reduced user-satisfaction of the service provider can result, particularly if the service center is inconveniently located or if repeated returns are necessitated to effectuate successive changes of operational parameters.
And, maintenance of a service center within proximity of the users of the mobile stations and the need to staff the service center necessitate significant investment and expense to the service provider.
If a manner could be provided by which to effectuate revision of the operating parameter, or parameters, pursuant to which the mobile station is operable without necessitating return of the mobile station to a service center, improved user-satisfaction of the service provider would be facilitated. And, costs associated with the maintenance of the service centers would also be lessened.
It is in light of this background information related to operating parameters pursuant to which a mobile station is operable that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.